Ta’Shaun Poole turned a regional opener into a showcase, and Macon (Ga.) Howard rode his night to a 49-43 win over Baldwin.
The Top 100 safety did just about everything, touching the ball nine times and scoring on six of those chances. That six-touchdown haul set a Georgia state record.
For Poole, the performance carried extra weight because it came after a rough stretch for Howard. The team had already taken trips to Valdosta and Perry earlier this season, games coach Trey Porter used to push the program rather than shield it. Those outings ended in a combined 104-13 beatdown, and Poole said the response mattered.
"We hung our heads," Poole said of the two previous games. "But we practiced great as a team last week, a lot of people were doubting us, but we were prepared.
"We learned that we had to fight to the end, and we did."
Poole’s final line was ridiculous: 245 receiving yards, six touchdowns, seven tackles and a tackle for loss. When asked to pick his favorite score, he couldn’t narrow it down easily, pointing to either the game-winning slant or an early touchdown on a post route.
The post stood out to him most. Poole said he ran it like a receiver instead of a safety, and it was a concept Howard had put in that week with him usually working outside rather than in the slot. He also noted that the defender was jawing with him before the play.
"And the guy guarding me was talking trash for whatever reason," Poole said.
The four-star recruit in the 2027 class believes the win can help Howard take a real step forward after back-to-back losing seasons, especially with regional play just getting underway. Along with the record-setting night, Poole is also managing recruiting, with a Big Ten team now in the mix and his belief in FSU still part of the picture.
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Florida Senators Are Pushing Back On A Realignment Threat
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For Florida schools, the issue is bigger than one policy fight. The states athletic departments have spent years trying to position themselves for whatever comes next, and a mandatory delay could complicate any future move if the conference map shifts again. Moody did propose an amendment that would create a way out of the waiting period under certain conditions, which shows the debate is not simply about blocking change so much as deciding who gets to control it. [Read more 🡒]